Local transient facing drug, other charges after bust at Veazie hotel

VEAZIE, Maine — A local transient was arrested on drug, trespassing and other charges late last month after police found bath salts, heroin, an assortment of drug paraphernalia and an apparent drug trafficking supplies in his possession.

The series of events that led to the arrest of Brian Rice, 35, on Sept. 30 began about 7 p.m., when Veazie police were called to the Stucco Lodge to investigate a disturbance complaint, according to a police report submitted by Officer Todd Nadeau of the Veazie Police Department.

When Nadeau arrived, a manager said Rice and another man had trespassed by entering one of the units at the lodge. Rice said the unit was not locked and that he was waiting for someone named “Smitty.” The manager, however, said the door to the unit was locked.

After checking with dispatchers, Nadeau learned Rice was wanted on a warrant for failure to appear at a scheduled court date and that he was subject to bail conditions — including a search of his person that turned up a pipe.

A subsequent search of Rice’s backpack turned up bath salts, heroin, additional pipes, a rubber arm strap, cotton swabs, a silver cooking spoon, small blow torches, a set of digital scales and “scores” of glassine bags typically used to sell and traffic in drugs. His backpack also contained six cellphones.

Rice’s rap sheet goes back to at least 2003 and includes convictions for drug trafficking, aggravated leaving the scene of an accident and disorderly conduct, among other things. He was arrested on a robbery charge by Bangor police less than two months ago.